'String scalar or character vector must have valid interpreter syntax' in waitbar

I am creating a waitbar where the text includes the path to the file being processed. The path name, ovbiously includes a backslash ('\') character, and this is causing the warning message to be issued: 'string scalar or character vector must have valid interpreter syntax'.

I could write a function to replace every ocurrence of the '\' character with '\\', but is there a way to set the interpreter to 'none' when calling the waitbar function?

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

Not directly, but just after you create your waitbar, like

wb = waitbar(0, 'File Name Will Go Here');

you can

wb.Children(1).Title.Interpreter = 'none';

Nothing in the code changes it back.

Or, you could instead use the Default properties, like

prop = 'DefaultTextInterpreter';
old_interp = get(groot, prop);
set(groot, prop, 'none');
wb = waitbar(0, 'File Name Will Go Here');
set(groot, prop, old_interp)

but I recommend the first version instead.

[Jim Riggs]

Thank you, this is working.

Answer 2

[Fangjun Jiang]

What is the issue? I don't have any error message in R2022b.

h=waitbar(0.5,'c:\abc\xyz')

[Jim Riggs]

Mine defaults to the tex interpreter and gives me a warning messag.

Perhaps your setup is different.